


Book Three: Reforging the Edge

by Tiffany_Smithi



Series: The Tassof Series [3]
Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Reforging the Edge, Soldiers Scholars and Spies, Tassof Series, Tyria's Real!?!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2020-06-27 16:15:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19794460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiffany_Smithi/pseuds/Tiffany_Smithi
Summary: Book 3 of the Tassof Series. The sisters are initiated into the Order of Whispers, mentored by Lightbringer Vriré. Destiny's Edge begin coming together, but Tiffany's focus is elsewhere, as she has other problems. She'd known secrets were dangerous, and had been working toward being able to tell them... but sometimes the telling is dangerous. Sometimes fatally - especially to friendships. And when Tiffany and Fiona are separated - to Fiona's fright - by their respective Orders, Fiona finds herself alone, without her sure sister to guide her. When Kudu appears, she realizes that she has to gather Destiny's Edge - to carry on their story without Tiffany. This she does, but when Scarlet Briar appears and nearly reveals a dangerous secret, Fiona can't wait to tell Tiffany.





	1. Setting the Stage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief overview of Kasmeer and Catava's last three weeks of training, continued from the last chapter, Seraph Training Academy Graduation, and the first Seraph assignment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Author's Notes:_
> 
> This is the third book in the _Tassof Series_ , also known as _Book Three: United We Stand_. If you have not read _Book One: Tyria's Real!?_ or _Book Two: Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_ , you will be woefully lost on this one.
> 
> I decided to split the three weeks of Seraph training into two chapters, just to make reception easier - the other day I played five hours worth of Living Season 2, and while I knew the plot, I didn't know the particulars, and I found myself overwhelmed. I couldn't digest it all. That's why I normally only play for two hours - I wait until the next day, digesting my new information, and then I can play again. I had to take several days off to digest it all.
> 
> So you got a regulated amount of storytime yesterday, and the rest of it today.
> 
> _**Okay, here's the story now:** _

Over the three weeks of Seraph training, Kasmeer gets to know Kai Karkasonne a little bit, but Kai keeps remarking upon how she shares a name with Kasmeer Meade.

At last, Kasmeer Inafit asks to be introduced to this person she shares a name with, to which Kai responds that they can't until they get out of training. But Kasmeer Inafit brings it up every couple days, and gets into some conversations about other things they share interests in.

* * *

On Friday, two days after Kasmeer's first Vigil mission, Catava is called away on Priory work - she is called down to a place called Rankor Ruins, so far south that it isn't even part of the Shiverpeaks anymore. Kasmeer jokes that she can get back by heading to Fort Trinity and taking the asura gate to the Priory. Catava snorts.

DeGlasse grudgingly agrees to hold an illusion of her throughout the day, and adds that he won't waste his time teaching an illusion - she can remain out of the way and inconspicious.

Kasmeer does know that Rankor Ruins features in a Pact mission, but can't remember when, how, or why.

When Catava gets back, she is slightly grumpy about how uninteresting - battle-wise - the assignment had been, but the scholarly nature of the assignment had been riveting.

* * *

Kasmeer does get through Vyacheslav's journal, made the easier because she is just looking for anything on Scarlet. There are several rants, some are fearful and submissive, others are full of glee at what Scarlet doesn't realize - but Kasmeer knows that's what Scarlet wants him to think - and how it's really furthering _his_ goals, and she _thinks_ he's just doing it to honor an agreement. There is one about how much of a genius Scarlet is, as well, but towards the back of the journal it devolves into mostly discarded plots about how to further the alliance between them and the Flame Legion.

The most valuable comment, in Kasmeer's opinion, is that Scarlet routinely - predictably routinely - checks in on Vyacheslav, personally.

The next checkup is the Tuesday after Seraph Training ends - and Vyacheslav had planned to be in Solitude Vale, overseeing the construction of a livable place to house the up-and-coming Molten Alliance's facilities.

Catava, has been studying the map in locations that Kasmeer knows are important - generally areas south, closer to Orr, but she also made a point of at least doing a very brief look over the rest of Tyria, scanning names tagged to places briefly. She specifically studies the area around Cragstead, and looks at Ascalon - the areas around the Black Citadel, at least - more closely.

So, Catava knows that Solitude Vale is right next to Cragstead, and Kasmeer deduces that that Molten Facility must have been what wrecked Cragstead in Living Season 1.

" **It's the closest chance we've got,** " Kasmeer tells Catava. " **We don't know where the next meeting-place will be, and I really** _ **, really**_ **need to confront Scarlet.** "

Catava agrees.

The next day, she turns it in to General Almorra, telling her she'd marked pages that identify a possible threat (Scarlet Briar). The General accepts the journal without question of why Tiffany had held it back at first.

* * *

General Almorra calls Tiffany in again for another mission with Forgal and some others in the middle of the second week, specifically putting Forgal in charge.

Forgal, knowing that this is a test of Tiffany's ability to follow - you can't effectively lead until you know how to follow - does not show any favoritism, treating her and everyone else the same as he had when he'd first met them.

The mission, as it turns out, is assisting the Seraph's war with the centaurs, for the same reason they had defended the Ebonhawke Treaty negotiations - they shouldn't be fighting each other, they should be fighting the dragons.

It is a rather large squad - fifteen Vigil and Forgal - and along with the Seraph, they push the centaurs back through the mountain range and to the Harathi homelands. It takes a long while, and one of the Vigil soldiers is killed by centaurs.

Tiffany is astounded, upon seeing the Vigil in action - they every single one are better than Deborah - and she was one of the Screaming Falcons. Admittedly, Tiffany hasn't seen Deborah in action much since she re-trained after her muscle-degrading captivity. But it is hard to train as large an organization as the Vigil that well. Tiffany decides she really must check out the training at Fort Marriner.

It takes a long day of hard fighting, as tiring as a full day of Seraph training, but the centaurs are finally pushed beyond the pass. At that point, it is easy to guard the pass from being reinvaded - Tiffany remembers that three hundred can hold against three thousand, in a strategic location such as a mountain pass.

The Vigil help the Seraph overrun the closest centaur camp to the pass and establish their own main outpost - Hope's Bastion, for the first hope that the war might end soon - where Confinement Camp used to be.

Tiffany, apparently, acquits herself remarkably well in her test of military obedience, although she does - when the occasion requires - take impromptu command of a couple soldiers at a time - for example, when the centaurs had split Tiffany and a few others off from the rest of the squad.

* * *

Tiffany had turned in Vyacheslav's notebook to General Almorra, but she had carefully copied down the pages about Scarlet, and readies those to be sent to the Order of Whispers. One of the Initiators had specifically mentioned DeGlasse cut off from all contact, and Kasmeer reaons that that applies to her, as well.

The Wednesday before training ends, or six days before Scarlet's scheduled appointment with Vyacheslav, General Almorra contacts Kasmeer/Tiffany via mail, telling her that she is to be in charge of a squad investigating this Scarlet and her Molten Alliance. Forgal will be with her, but this is Crusader Tiffany's chance to shine as a leader - Forgal is merely there as her Vigil partner.

By the next day, a note from Forgal arrives, informing her of some other things. Such as the fact that Almorra can't be overseeing all the missions, and the fact that Tiffany is overseeing this mission means that everything happens at her discretion, as long as it gets into the Vigil records.

A day or so after, Kasmeer receives a message from Forgal about her strike squad - the Spar warband. Forgal had met the Spar warband and got to know them a little bit, and he sends in his information about them.

Aelius Scrapspar, the leader of the warband (and Tiffany's second in command, she supposes) is an engineer, as his last name hints at. Forgal informs Kasmeer that he is forever tinkering with the group's gear, fixing it up or taking it apart and putting it together again, and Sarria, the team's assassin, sometimes jokes that he should have been in the Iron Legion, instead of the Ash Legion.

Nipia Sparshield is the warrior, and deals fascinating amounts of damage. When paired with Celsus Sparmauler, the guardian, they make a very formidable team.

Deorar Brightspar is the elementalist, and she plays lure and decoy most of the time. She is small, for a charr, and being a Scholar profession, looks very defenseless to the ignorant. However, unseen to the naked eye, there is a minefield of traps and shock fields between her and her unwitting foe. In battle, she can easily heal any injuries that get past Celsus' shield, and returns devastating damage of her own, too.

Most of those traps are set by Sarria Sparshadow, the thief, who is also the group's trusted assassin. If someone needs dead, _now_ , Sarria can do it.

However, the most in-tune pair of the group is Augurna Sparstalker and her feline companion, Shadow, teasingly surnamed Swiftstalker. Augurna will say, on occasion, 'I'm in two warbands; the Spar warband and the Stalker warband.' The ranger is an expert at blending in, but functions as the group's scout rather than it's sniper; she wields no bow, preferring silent self-defense with knives if her enemy gets past Shadow. To her ears - sensitive even for a charr - a bow's _twang_ makes a bit too much noise. She would have scoffed at the Seraph's idea of how swift and silent and blending-in a scout would have to be, and bests all of it.

Catava comments that Kasmeer almost knows the warband by now. Kasmeer returns that they probably know her, as well.

* * *

On Monday, the day after training ends, a graduation ceremony (like the first Sunday) is held.

Again, Kasmeer and Catava remain inconspicious. The recruits are assigned trophies depending on how well they did, and Kasmeer and Catava are the only ones judged unfairly. DeGlasse stiffly informs them in private that they outshone every recruit, but with the Heros of Shaemoor not wanting attention drawn to themselves in these identities, that honor goes to Ibu. Kasmeer and Catava are totally fine with that.

DeGlasse also informs them that they are to report to the Chantry of Secrets that day, and charges them to deliver a message straight to Lightbringer Vriré, the asura.

It is a written message, and sealed tight. DeGlasse informs them that Lightbringer Vriré _will know_ if they open it.

During the ceremony, DeGlasse reminds his kittening recruits that they now have kittening Seraph authority, and if they kittening abuse it, they'll be in to see _him_. His glance drops to Kasmeer and Catava, looking them in the eyes significantly. A sound enchantment - Catava had taught Kasmeer to recognize a few flows, even if she can't affect them - springs up, and DeGlasse firmly informs them that this Seraph authority applies to them, too - they went through the training, they know how to use it, and that's what qualifies them. Then the sound enchantment vanishes and DeGlasse continues with his class-wide lecture.

Later, as when the profession ceremony was held, each recruit is marched up to the stage and handed a token, this time in the form of a Seraph badge - a head and shoulders intricately carved, and in such a way so that the shoulders are in a heart formation - the head sits in the nook at the top of the hearth. It is capped with wings flaring out from the sides, and the whole thing could fit in your palm. Kasmeer thinks it is an excellent show of craftsmanship.

As each recruit reaches the stage, DeGlasse projects an image of that recruit's badge; the head and shoulders design on the badge slowly fades and is replaced by the symbol of the recruit's profession.

DeGlasse sharply instructs them all to report to Shaemoor Garrison for their first assignment, telling them that he will know if they do not show up. The recruits all salute with a 'yes, sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR!'

Kasmeer and Catava stay at the graduation celebration (for most of the recruits here, this is like getting out of college) for a while, talking to friends a bit and, at the last, saying goodbye, at least temporarily.

Kai Karkasonne reminds Kasmeer that she wants to introduce the 'other Kasmeer' to her, and Kasmeer Inafit replies that she'll be free a bit on Wednesday morning. Kai gives her a thumbs-up.

Kasmeer and Catava leave the Seraph Training Academy for good a little after noon - Catava estimates about one, according to the magical sundials found in Rata Sum.

The mesmer sheds their illusions as they step away from the portal to the Seraph Training Academy, becoming Tiffany and Fiona again.

"Well, like DeGlasse said, let's report to Shaemoor Garrison first," Tiffany informs Fiona, who sighs and re-applies the disguise, before the two waypoint to the garrison.

* * *

The Seraph at the garrison needs a test, however. He claims that enough people have come claiming to be Seraph recruits, but really just got a good mesmer to create their badges.

His test does not consist of battle prowess, either, but of tactical intelligence. So he explains how the war with the centaurs is going - apparently the Vigil had spare soldiers, and had lent them to the war effort, which had really aided the Seraph, until the Vigil had found another use for it's soldiers.

' _That must have been the Vigil mission Forgal led the other week,_ ' Kasmeer remembers. ' _This double-persona game is getting confusing._ '

The Seraph now have an established base near the pass, themselves in centaur territory. The soldier explaining this all to them asks what the Seraph should do next.

"It depends on the lay of the land, of course," comes in several variants from the as-yet small group of Seraph recruits.

Then, DeGlasse approaches with the rest of the recruits.

"Kitten, I've kittening told you before, you don't kittening need to quiz them!" DeGlasse sighs. "You're just kittening wasting your kittening time when you could be kittening giving them the kittening overview of what the kittening war is looking like!"

"I am, sir, mesmer DeGlasse, SIR," the officer replies. "I do it in preparation for a test so that they remain interested. I've seen too many recruits get killed from ignoring me."

"Just kittening shout at them and they'll kittening pay attention," DeGlasse retorts. "It kittening works _on_ you, kitten, why shouldn't it work _for_ you?"

The Seraph remains silent. He is obviously used to DeGlasse's verbal barbs.

DeGlasse continues, "I've got special assignments for this group, anyhow," he says. "Those four," he indicates Kasmeer, Catava, Ibu, and Kai, "are to be assigned to the forward Seraph camp in the new territory. This fellow," he points at Von Ffeldy, the engineer, "will stay with me to train new engineers. Those giggling girls over there are assigned to Triskell Quay, to patrol, and the current patrollers there moved to the centaur front. This thief here," he indicates Ffeldy's friend, Dominick, "is to be assigned whatever assignment that five years is good for. The other rangers go with the first four."

As DeGlasse gives his instructions, Kasmeer zones out, thinking of her goal of assassinating the centaur leader and ending the war.

"Alright, you kittens!" DeGlasse says, turning to the band of recruits. "If you're good kittens, you know where you were just assigned. There's a kittening supply transport headed to Hope's Bastion - you kittens might know it better as the previously kittening centaur-occupied Confinement Camp - that needs kittening guards. You kittens will all set out on Wednesday, once the kittening Seraph being kittening relocated from kittening Triskell Quay get here. Be here sharp on kittening Wednesday morning, every last kitten of you! Dismissed!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Author's Notes:_
> 
> So! The stage has been set for _Book Three: Reforging the Edge_. Cookies for anyone who can guess what this story arc is about!


	2. Chapter 2: Initiation

REFORGING THE EDGE

* * *

Summary: Tiffany and Fiona are initiated into the Order of Whispers. Vriré's wish to mentor them is fulfilled, and she is informed of Scarlet Briar's schemes, creating an alliance between the dredge and Flame Legion.

* * *

Chapter two: Initiation

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

See, Vriré is one of the best of the best in the Order of Whispers, a 'I-already-knew-you-didn't-need-to-tell-me' typical Whispers mysterious person, even to other Agents, but Tiffany and Fiona, as earthlings, continually befuddle her. It's hard to keep her in character when she is only ever shown interacting with Tiffany and Fiona. They are unknowns, and Vriré doesn't like unknowns too much.

I'm trying to say, it's hard to build Vriré's character because she is continually _out_ of character around Tiffany and Fiona. That's partly what that one-shot I keep telling you to read is about - Vriré's history, sure, but also her character. Well, more like the _why_ of her character, but it helps. (If you haven't read that yet, you should. It's almost too late to matter much anymore.)

Also, I grew weary of trying to keep up with AO3's formatting, so I'm just going to copy+paste from FFN and preserve _my_ formatting (which I like and am quite attached to). I may or may not go back and fix the earlier chapters posted on AO3, but at least I'm back to posting the chapters here.

_**Okay, here's the story now:** _

* * *

The Initiators are assembled in the Initiating Room. Vriré knows that Tiffany and Fiona Tassof are coming. They are to be Initiated today, regardless of Pierre's report.

Not too long after noon, the alert dings, having recognized the unofficial Initiate's aura.

Arer, the spokesman, is standing slightly in front of the group.

Tiffany and Fiona enter the room, accompanied by - is that Beorn? Tiffany's dead companion? Vriré's large, asuran eyes, designed for seeing in dim places like this room, quickly ascertain that yes, this is Beorn.

She notices that Tiffany is beaming joyfully, eyes flicking towards Beorn every so often, and that her delighted expression seems permanent.

Arer steps forward, hand outstretched, and Vriré notices identical sealed documents in the Initiate's hands.

"We were told to deliver them to Lightbringer Vriré," Fiona informs Arer.

Vriré steps forward, and the two hand over their documents. Vriré, watching closely, sees Fiona's eyes dart to the axes at her sides, then glance at her inquiringly.

So, Fiona knows that Vriré and Cedda are the same person. ' _Very observant of her. I wonder how she figured it out? I'll have to ask her sometime._ ' Vriré nods at Fiona almost imperceptibly.

Vriré steps back and quickly runs an eye over the documents. Tiffany's is a brief report about her companion. So that's how it happened.

"Favorable," she proclaims, seeing that the rest of the document is a glowing report. Saying 'favorable' indicates to the rest of the Initiators that they have exceeded even DeGlasse's expectations. A different word would have told them something else.

Right away, the Initiators begin standard Initiation process. A door off to the side opens inconspiciously, and several Whispers Lightbringers line up against the wall.

Vriré notices Arer glance in that direction, puzzled. Vriré follows his gaze, and notes that Tybalt Leftpaw is not among the group. But Arer does not know that Leftpaw took on a different Initiate not too long ago.

Asrink Pyreshield, the charr engineer, begins. "Your combat prowess is exceptional," he says. "You work together and apart equally well, and you do not let emotion ruin your battle. You fight to win, but do try to peaceably gather information before resorting to violence. You know your weapons inside and out, and while they are with you, you can overcome any situation."

"Your strategic plans are well thought-out," Ingvil continues. "You are quick and efficient, but not hasty. You know how to take fatal aim when the target does not know you are there, rather than hitting blindly and missing, thus wasting your surprise move. When you work together, neither mental nor physical power is wasted, and you both know what the other is doing. You trust each other implicitly, giving instruction and expecting it to be listened to, enacting your next move - which may depend on your previous order - without needing to look to see if it had been followed."

"Your perception is unparalleled," Vriré informs them. "You notice things that not many would, and correctly deduce what not many would have bothered to even think upon. When you do not know what is going on, or are in a situation you do not understand fully, you work to right that wrong. You seek understanding in your surroundings, and are cautious of those you should not trust. Your wisdom and logic rarely fail you in such cases."

"Your open nature is inviting to those who trust easily," Ornora, the sylvari begins. "You are, by nature, outgoing and cheerful. That is a good mindset to have when working for the Order."

"You know when to admit mistakes or failure," Arer states. "You know how to be subtle. You can easily turn what was a devastating failure in one aspect to a resounding success in another area. You bounce back quickly and easily from misfortune, and are shrewd."

"You understand the value of having companions," Asrink tells them. "If possible, you are never without at least one ally."

"If you were norn," Ingvil inserts, "I would say you possess all the characterisitcs of Raven, Bear, Wolf, and Snow Leopard combined. You are intelligent and wise, strong enough to prove your point if people don't listen to you, smart enough to understand the value of partners, and cunning enough to use everything you've got to devastating effect against your enemies."

"You show respect for the chain of command," Asrink continues, giving Vriré a fleeting glance, "as well as learning from your superiors and even - on occasion - questioning them when appropriate."

Once all the Initiators fall silent, Arer speaks up again. "A file in the Order's archives has been created for you, Initiate Tiffany Tassof and Initiate Fiona Tassof, listing your individual strengths and weaknesses and how you performed during Initiation."

"Initiate Fiona Tassof," Ornora says, "your assigned partner is Initiate Tiffany Tassof."

"Initiate Tiffany Tassof," Asrink continues, "your assigned partner is Initiate Tiffany Tassof."

"As you were partnered upon Initiation - an uncommon thing, mind you - you will be mentored together," Ingvil informs them. She gestures at the Lightbringers waiting against the wall. "We will look through those who wish to be your guide and narrow down the selection. You will make the final choice, however, unless we narrow it down to one."

The whole troop leaves the room, leaving the new Initiates alone.

Vriré joins the line of Lightbringers wishing to mentor the Initiates. She knows the filtering process - she has been a part of it more times than she cares to count - and knows for a fact that she will get through it unscathed.

She glances at the other Lightbringers in line - she knows them all, at least by reputation. She mentally runs through the filtering process in a preliminary check. Only a handful, she knows, will pass muster. Only one or two she is unsure of. Like normal.

It seems her old mentor, Cirino Lucente, has regained an interest in mentoring. Cirino is a hard taskmaster, and Vriré had learned from her several dos and don'ts of mentoring. Cirino will pass the filtering, as well, but Vriré knows that her showing before the Initiates will be... less than satisfactory. Vriré knows - she _had_ monitored the Initiates, and she knows Cirino quite well from being mentored.

"Lightbringer Vriré, your place is over here," Arer tells her nervously. He is always nervous when addressing her. For good cause.

Vriré looks back at him levelly. "I did not seat myself wrongly, Agent Arer," she informs him coolly. "I never intended to be on your end of the filtering process today."

"Oh... uh... sorry, Lightbringer," Arer stammers.

' _At least he is not the spokesperson of the filtering committee_ ', Vriré tells herself.

Ornora snaps her fingers, drawing everyone's attention. She seems nice in general, but can get nasty - verbally to allies, physically to enemies - when she feels like it. This one of those occasions.

Vriré's preliminary estimation was spot-on. Most of the aspiring mentors are torn apart by Ornora's verbal missiles, and dismissed from consideration to mentor the Initiates.

After fifteen minutes - ' _I wonder what Tiffany and Fiona are doing?_ ' Vriré wonders absentmindedly - only a few are left. Refocusing on the proceedings, Vriré notes that, besides for herself and Cirino, only a few Lightbringers remain, including Lightbringer Kindlesnap, a charr, and Lightbringer Genevieve, a sylvari.

The group reenters the room where Tiffany and Fiona are waiting.

Tiffany sighs ever so slightly when she sees that Vriré is among the four wanting to mentor them.

"Initiates, these four have passed the filtering," Arer informs them. "Lightbringer Cirino Lucente has experience mentoring. Lightbringer Genevieve is a new Lightbringer. Lightbringer Kindlesnap has experience mentoring, recently. Lightbringer Vriré has been a member of the Order for thirteen years, and a Lightbringer for nine."

Tiffany half-glances at Fiona with a puzzled frown, before catching herself. She begins moving her mouth as if talking, and her eyes are closed, but Vriré cannot hear her, even for her asuran ears. She notices Fiona doing the same thing. It's like they're having a conversation.

The other members of the Order are watching the silent conversation, as well. Occasionally, Tiffany glances at Beorn.

After a minute of silence, Arer gives the signal to tell a little about themselves. The rules are crystal-clear; no mention of the other aspiring mentors, at all. In any form.

Cirino starts, speaking in clipped tones. "I have been a Lightbringer of the Order for more than fifteen years, and mentored twice. Both of my students have gone on to have great reputation within the Order, not to mention a strict respect for the chain of command."

The sylvari, Genevieve, is next. "So many interesting things are done by the Order each year. It is wonderful to see, and even more wonderful to take part in it as I have."

"The dragons are a threat," Vriré says, thinking of Koraw. "They kill many people each year, and they must be stopped. I have pushed the Order towards that goal for the last five years, and we have made great advancements due to that. The dragons _must_ go down."

"Risen are multiplying," Kindlesnap growls. "They are near even to Lion's Arch, to the Chantry of Secrets. I keep them back, along with my team. The threat is overwhelming, and we must all do our part."

Tiffany's mouth begins moving again, this time more rapidly. She glances at Beorn once, flicks her eye to Vriré, and speaks to Fiona again.

After another minute, Arer makes the signal again. This is rather rare.

This time, Vriré starts. "We will never defeat the dragons with division. Take norn, for example. They fled from Jormag, following the Spirits of the Wild, and founded Hoelbrak. Then, it was safe. Now, it is not. The norn do not possess a military, nor are they a very united people. They are in more danger than any of the other races, due to that. The Order of Whispers tries to fix such problems."

"We must push back the Risen to feel any kind of security, even in the Chantry," Kindlesnap informs them. "While the diplomats and talkers do their thing in Kryta and Ascalon, my team keeps the center of operations secure. I don't care how the talking goes right now, as long as the Chantry remains safe in the long run."

"Neither diplomacy nor fighting nor anything else the Order does will get anywhere without everyone within the Order being aware and respectful of the chain of command," Cirino begins. "Once that is secured, we can begin working on other threats to the Order - like the growing Risen presence near the Chantry."

"Everything the Order does is vital to the Order," Genevieve says simply. "We cannot neglect anything, or the Order will fall."

Tiffany seems amused. "You are acting as if our choice of mentor will decide the fate of the Order."

"Every decision should be made as if it is the most important," Vriré replies. "Every Initiate will grow up to become what they were taught, and, in turn teach what they were taught. The Order of Whispers has existed for centuries, and many examples of this furthering the Order's goals can be referenced."

Tiffany nods slowly, and Fiona's mouth moves silently. The silent conversation continues, but very briefly, this time.

"Lightbringer Vriré, shall be our mentor," Tiffany says at last. "Her goals and achievements seem to fit the closest with ours."

"I agree," Fiona says.

Cirino sends Vriré an unreadable look, before she leaves the room with Genevieve and Kindlesnap.

"Ah... the next step will be to..." Arer stammers.

"I don't need to be told, Agent, I know the proceedings better than you do," Vriré informs him.

The Initiators, taking that as their cue, leave the room as well, leaving the two Initiates and their mentor alone.

Vriré knows they are preparing the next sequence of events. An important part of the post-initiation process is awing the new Initiates.

"Are you - were you - Cedda?" Tiffany asks immediately.

"Straight to the point, I see, Initiate," Vriré replies with a nod. "Yes, I was."

"Then I have to thank you," Tiffany says sincerely, "for keeping my mind off the supposed death of my companion. Beorn thanks you, as well."

"It was the only thing I _could_ do," Vriré responds stiffly. ' _I only wish I'd had someone help me that way when Koraw died._ ' "Let us move on with the proceedings now, shall we?"

Tiffany and Fiona nod, and Vriré leads them out of the room, down the hall, and into another.

It contains a constantly updating hologram of dates and times and things.

"This is the mission planner," Vriré informs them. "Every time you have time and want to do a mission for the Order, you come here. You should come here routinely anyway, as I can come here and update your schedule at any time."

"So if we have anything else planned, we should put it here, so it doesn't clash with what we already have planned?" Fiona checks.

"Yes. However, I can still override your previous plans." Vriré informs them. However, if there is one thing Vriré had learned from Cirino, it is to do that as little as possible. "If you don't want any other Agents knowing your plans, you can lock your schedule to most people - however, as your mentor, I will always have access, as will the Preceptors and, of course, the Master of Whispers."

"And so anyone wishing to give us an assignment will have to go through you or somebody else who has the key?" Tiffany queries.

"Precisely," Vriré nods. ' _They are fast learners._ ' "If you put as much detail as you can into each entry, if I need to override it, I at least know which are more important. For example, if you add that it is a Vigil mission, I'll be less likely to override it than if you are simply taking a trip to Lion's Arch. Also, you cannot override anything I put in, unless I give you the key, signifying that I allowed you to fix it. Any entry will have your name attached, so that others know who changed it."

"I see," Tiffany nods. "And if it is just a 'get this done sometime' assignment, we'll know who assigned it, and thus how important it is, and when to put it in."

"Exactly," Vriré informs them. "I believe you can figure out how the controls work on your own. This section," here she pulls up a list of missions, "contains missions that have not yet been assigned. See the qualifiers on the right side - for this one you need to have Agent status to put on your schedule."

"How does it know we're not lying about our rank?" Fiona asks curiously.

"It's an aura," Vriré explains. "You can remove the aura, but then anything Whispers will treat you like you're not a member of the Order."

"How do we manipulate this aura?" Tiffany wonders.

"On you, for now, it is a lingering effect," Vriré explains. "It is applied to you by being in the Initiation room, and lingers for a few days or week before fading. However, as you are Initiates now, and not necessarily going to be in the Initiation room every week, you will use one of these." Vriré crosses the room to a blank wall, where she holds up the back of her left hand to the wall. A hidden door slides open, and the Lightbringer takes out two wrist guards.

They had been attuned to Tiffany and Fiona and imbued with an aura while they were talking in the Initiation room.

She returns to Tiffany and Fiona and hands one to each of them. "This carries your aura. It is your key to anything Whispers. When you approach this hologram, it will read your aura and bring up your schedule by default. You can give another person's aura pass into your schedule - which I suspect the two of you will do - but the aura won't work right if the wrong person is using it."

Tiffany and Fiona take the wrist guards curiously. Tiffany straps hers to her right wrist, and Fiona to her left. They fade out of sight.

"You can make them visible by twisting your hand in a certain gesture," Vriré instructs them. She moves her wrist in a peculiar movement, and her own aura appears. She makes the movement again, and it vanishes.

Tiffany frowns. "Can I set the movement differently? Because that's the movement my wrist makes when I release an arrow."

Vriré flicks her wrist again, and frowns. "No. You'll have to put it on your other wrist."

Tiffany sighs, but relocates the aura generator. She flicks her right hand experimentally, checking that it doesn't influence the aura.

"So the aura is visible when the wrist guard is, and not if it's veiled?" Fiona asks.

"It's not visible to the naked eye," Vriré corrects. "Agent-level members have an aura-reader that detects auras automatically, so it's like you can see it, but some don't use it all the time, and Initiates don't have it."

"Yeah," Fiona remembers. "Cydwenn and Bor knew I was trying to join the Order before I told them, and Bor told me it was some sort of aura."

Vriré nods shortly. "Now that aspect of the post-Initiation process is done, now it is your turn to share information."

Tiffany and Fiona glance at each other, than back at Vriré. "What sort of information?" Tiffany asks cautiously.

"You know the Order's goals, you know my goals as a Lightbringer of the Order. Now that you have been initiated, your goals also matter. Any information that will benefit any of those goals is relevant."

"This journal," Tiffany says after a moment of thought, bringing out a small stack of papers. "These are pages from the personal diary of a dredge leader - a leader that built a weapon that shrieks the cry of Icebrood minions. This draws other minions, and they plan to use it against the Priory to get to Ogden Stonehealer. The Order of Whispers already has an agent monitoring this device and retarding it's construction, setting them back wherever possible, but that is not my concern."

Vriré wonders what threat could be greater than a weapon that attracts Icebrood. She gestures for Tiffany to continue.

"My question is where they got the recorded cries of Icebrood?" Tiffany says. "The dredge have never done anything like this before. I gave copies of the plans for this weapon that I found to Agent Ifwyn, who was investigating the dredge as an Agent. I didn't bother deciphering the blueprints - I can't understand anything like them - but Agent Ifwyn and Scholar Prott remarked that dredge weaponry is usually unstable, but this weapon is not. Where did the change come from?"

"They had help," Fiona picks up. "In the form a sylvari named Scarlet Briar. She set them up with the Flame Legion, forming the Molten Alliance. General Almorra thinks this worthy of investigation, and tomorrow Tiffany is going to meet up with her team and find out what is going on. She is meeting Vyacheslav in Solitude Vale, near Cragstead, northeast of Hoelbrak."

"That is troubling," Vriré agrees. "And General Almorra finds it important enough to send a team to investigate?"

"She does," Tiffany confirms. "Do you think it is worthy of Whispers involvement?"

"Let me see those pages, Initiate," Vriré requests, and Tiffany hands them over.

"I carefully copied all the pages that had to do with Scarlet or the Flame Legion," Tiffany tells Vriré. "General Almorra has the whole journal, but the rest of it doesn't contain anything of importance."

"When are you to meet your squad?" Vriré asks.

"We will meet in Hoelbrak in the morning, and hopefully be at Solitude Vale a little after noon."

"I may decide to come with you," Vriré informs them. "If so, I will be near the Vigil Billet in Hoelbrak. Don't bother looking for me - I'll find you if I'm coming."

Tiffany nods. "As to our Seraph standing - we are to be shipped out to Hope's Bastion, the main base of Seraph operations, the day after tomorrow."

"DeGlasse sent me everything I need to know about your Seraph status," Vriré replies. "But you should insert all this information into the mission planner, Initiates."

Tiffany and Fiona nod at her, before turning to the console and fiddling with the controls, each manipulating their schedule.

As it fills out, Vriré notes that, from Wednesday on, the schedule is free until the next week, when they are scheduled to meet friends at Cragstead.

"What will you be doing in between?" Vriré asks, gesturing at the blank spaces.

"Doing Seraph things, I guess, although two or three - maybe four - days should be long enough to then fake our deaths," Tiffany says, having been informed of that eventuality by DeGlasse. "So Saturday or Sunday?"

"Sounds good to me," Fiona shrugs. "We won't be able to help the war any as Kasmeer and Catava, but just being around and able to switch to being Tiffany and Fiona, we'll be able to help a lot. Three or four days should be a fine timeframe for that to happen in."

Vriré glances at the pages from Vyacheslav's journal. ' _I should really check those out. This Scarlet sounds like a good talker, somebody who should be on the Order's side._ '

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

Scary, huh?

Vriré's personality still hasn't cemented - post-Initiation processes involve informing the Initiates of things and receiving information, and is pretty standard. Her character will begin to evolve in the next week, though, as she gets to know Tiffany and Fiona.

Tiffany and Fiona's temporary tenure as Seraph soldiers is entirely Whispers planned, as I'm sure you can tell... only thing is, I like their aliases. Kasmeer Inafit and Catava Anoif... I went all out in those personas, and now they're going to die. Maybe they should just get captured by centaurs or something, and when the centaurs scatter as a result of their leader being assassinated, the Seraph assume all captive prisoners killed? Like when Falcon Company was ambushed. So then Kasmeer and Catava can come back if needed. I might do that. 


	3. Warband Confusion

REFORGING THE EDGE

* * *

Summary: Vriré reads the pages Tiffany gave to her, and decides to accompany the Vigil to where Scarlet is meeting with Vyacheslav the next day. Meanwhile, she looks up the Vigil squad Tiffany is going with, to find the Spar warband, where a joke confuses Vriré desperately. Upon reaching Hoelbrak, where the Vigil are leaving from, Tiffany begins updating the group on their strategy and tactics. At the Molten Facility, Vriré is 'reunited' with the Shadow warband, the warband her partner, Koraw Shadowspecter, had belonged to before joining the Order of Whispers (and had kept in touch and friends with, too, meaning Vriré has heard a lot about them).

* * *

Chapter three: Warband Confusion

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

Yes, from Vriré's perspective again.

Do any of you remember Vriré's partner that died back in 1320, Koraw Burntspecter? Well... I just figured out that the Burnt warband (which I'd decided was the name of Koraw's warband) was of the Flame Legion, and the ones that discovered the titans, the ones who gave the Flame Legion magic necessary to rule the other Legions and take back Ascalon. It was actually the leader of that warband that brought down the Searing. The Burnt warband was the spearpoint that _led_ the Flame Legion during that time. Ooops... Koraw was a member of the Ash Legion and vehemently anti-Flame Legion. I'll have to go change his name and warband... ooops... (I _thought_ there was something off about a 'Burnt' warband, that is a very Flamey warband name for being Ash...)

So anyway, it's now Koraw Shadowspecter, of the Shadow warband. I'll go fix Vriré's chapter after I post this one. *sigh*. Burntspecter sounds so much cooler. Goodbye, awesome surname! To the real Burnt warband: How dare you steal that awesome name from me?

_**Okay, here's the story now:** _

* * *

Later that day, as Vriré looks through the pages of Vyacheslav's journal, she can't help but admire this Scarlet Briar. She singlehandedly talked the dredge and Flame Legion into forming an alliance - an alliance that she can use to further her needs whenever she pleases, while in general staying out of the limelight.

Vyacheslav's ever-so-brief disgust at Scarlet ('she's just a sylvari, she doesn't know anything') quickly turns into admiration as Scarlet shows them several bits of engineering that awed Vyacheslav. Whe she requested the alliance with the Flame Legion in return for her help, Vyacheslav was at first grudging, but quickly bounced back as he realized this is furthering _his_ goals - to make the dredge prominently feature on the face of Tyria, the dredge need alliances.

His awe for Scarlet turns into condescending behaviour. She thinks he's just doing it as recompence for her help, but in reality, the dredge and Flame Legion won't need Scarlet once they're settled in. Vyacheslav's viewpoint seems to be 'we use her until she's of no more use, do what she wants us to do, and get rid of her'.

Vriré notes that Vyacheslav still intends to do what Scarlet wants, despite his contempt of her. This Scarlet could really be an asset to the Order - or an enemy.

Vriré, wanting to know all she can about Tiffany's team, returns to the room with the schedule hologram.

Tiffany and Fiona had ferreted out most of the features of the device, including the contacts section. This had consisted of Tiffany and Fiona's contact list turned in for the second test, but now, it seems, has been updated.

Tiffany and Fiona's lists are still similar, and they both have at least met everyone the other person knows. The only exception is Sieran, who Fiona has classed as 'mentor'. Tiffany has not met her. There are one or two 'passing aquaintances' that one knows and the other doesn't, but that is to be expected.

However, Tiffany's list contains a subsection titled 'Ash Legion Spar warband'. On it is listed seven names - Aelius Scrapspaw, Nipia Sparshield, Celsus Sparmauler, Deorar Brightspar, Sarria Sparshadow, and Augurna Sparstalker. In a subsection beneath Augurna's name is the Stalker warband, which contains Augurna Sparstalker and Shadow Swiftstalker.

Vriré frowns. A charr being in two warbands at once is unheard of. It's one of the most ridiculous things possible in the charr Legions - and she should know, her best friend, battle partner, and companion was a charr, _and_ Ash Legion as well. If she had asked him what a charr being in two warbands at once was, he would have roared in laughter and not stopped for five minutes. Literally.

So what is up with a charr being in two warbands? Vriré can't begin to explain, even in her own head, how ridiculous that is.

But there is no other information about the warbands in the database. There are probably more people in the Stalker warband that Tiffany hasn't met or doesn't know about - a warband can't be as small as two people.

Vriré had already decided to go with Tiffany, but now she knows that that decision could have been made solely on needing to figure out this conundrum.

She brings up her own schedule and adds the mission to it. She then places Scarlet Briar's name on a list of people who could be assets to the Order, along with everything she knows about the sylvari.

She then turns to the Order's connections. It is 3D globe of names, with lines running from each name to the person they know with any degree of familiarity. She enters Scarlet's name into the machine, and the only names associated with it are Ifwyn, Drubin, Tiffany, and Fiona. And they are all one-way, meaning Scarlet hasn't a clue who these people are. Drubin's name has been attached the longest, but he only heard rumors.

Vriré adds Vyacheslav to the names connected to Scarlet, the pale blue color of his name indicating he is not a member of the Order. She also adds Gaheron Baelfire, the charr heading the Flame Legion side of the Molten Alliance. That particular Flame Legion fanatic had already been in the database for a long time.

She ends the name-searching and stands back, watching the gigantic globe of names rotate in the air above the terminal. She tells the machine to only display Order names, and most names disappear, the names reshuffling to remain in a globe formation.

Adding the other names back in, Vriré wonders if there are people of any importance in Tyria without Order connections.

Watching the connections the Order has amassed over the centuries - having a connection with a person's father might have some sway with them - always calms Vriré. This many people, and their collective knowledge, should be able to solve almost any problem.

That 'almost any' always bugs Vriré, though. There are very few people, in her opinion, who have the ability to take down Elder Dragons - under certain circumstances. Among those, Destiny's Edge is the majority. And they are split, divided. There are two others - the Master of Whispers and Trahearne.

Of the two, Vriré (in her own mind, never spoken aloud, of course) considers Trahearne to have a better chance. Unlike even the Order or the Priory, he has dedicated his life, his entire existence, to the study of Orr and its occupants.

She enters Trahearne's name into the database. He is linked with many people - most of those links are one-way towards him, meaning a person has simply heard about him - including many people from both the Order and the Durmand Priory. The Priory is to be expected, though, they have been around longer than he has and might have information. He also is friends with several Vigil.

Vriré has never met him, herself, but she has access to all the Order's knowledge of the sylvari, and, while she had never bothered to look him up specifically, she knows of him and his accomplishments. Few in the Order wouldn't.

Taking out the one-way connections, there are still a lot of people Trahearne knows personally.

Studying the tiny globe of names, Vriré notices two names that hadn't been there last time she had looked at this particular screen. Tiffany and Fiona Tassof. New links had appeared, as well - Tiffany and Fiona aren't just names connected to Trahearne's, they are mutual friends with several other people Trahearne knows, as well, including Caithe, of Destiny's Edge, Forgal Kernsson, Tiffany's Vigil mentor, and Sieran, Fiona's Priory mentor.

Tiffany and Fiona have good reason to get to know Trahearne very well - they know several of the same people, and even have similar interests, somewhat.

New connections to people like Trahearne are always good - Trahearne is just that sort of person, and a valuable source of knowledge for the Order.

There are many people connected to Trahearne that the Order doesn't really have any connections with - all the Firstborn sylvari, certainly, and several Secondborn. Caithe shares much the same slyvari connections, being Firstborn as well.

Thinking of Caithe, Vriré brings the center of the globe to Caithe, adding more names and taking many out.

The closest connections to Caithe, besides the Firstborn, are, of course, Logan Thackeray, Rytlock Brimstone, Eir Stegalkin, Zojja, and Snaff (deceased).

Tiffany and Fiona Tassof are on this list, as well. They know Caithe, and also have ties to Eir, Zojja, and, of course, Logan.

' _They keep popping up,_ ' Vriré sighs to herself. ' _They know most of the people who have the most chance for defeating Elder Dragons. Tiffany has ties to the Vigil, who have the same objective, and Fiona has ties to the Priory, who, again, have the same objective. And now they have ties to the Order of Whispers. Being sisters, and listing each other as 'battle partner', they are in a great position to have a great wealth of information between them, that they are not necessarily sharing with the Order._ '

Vriré wonders at her Initiates knowing four of the five remaining Destiny's Edge. Their reason for only having Logan and Caithe on their initial list was not knowing the other members - barely having been introduced.

' _They must have gone out of their way to get to know Zojja and Eir,_ ' Vriré realizes. Thinking on everything she knows of the Tassofs, and her questions - which had mostly amassed the first time she monitored them - she decides that this question tops them all. What typical Krytan commoners would go out of their way to get to know Zojja and Eir? Specifically when it is know that those particular members of Destiny's Edge are at odds with each other?

Vriré notes with some amusement that Tiffany and Fiona know all the surviving members of Destiny's Edge _except_ Rytlock Brimstone. Tiffany and Fiona know of Destiny's Edge through Logan Thackeray, meaning that their image of Rytlock might not be... ideal. Vriré chuckles to herself at the thought.

' _But wait..._ ' Vriré remembers. ' _The first day I monitored them, they expressed a wish to visit the Black Citadel, but not soon._ ' Trying in vain to remember the exact words - it has been more than four weeks, and it seems like much longer - she cannot remember a why to the _not soon_ description.

Vriré sighs and decides to speak to Tiffany and Fiona tomorrow about the Destiny's Edge situation.

' _They know most of Destiny's Edge, Trahearne, and have connections to all three of the Orders between them,_ ' Vriré thinks to herself. ' _They will probably become very prominent members of the Order of Whispers someday. If they're not bogged down with Vigil/Priory missions, the way our other contacts generally are._ ' Vriré realizes she made a very smart decision, deciding to mentor these two potential big shots.

* * *

The next day, Vriré, in full gear this time (she'd missed her two swords sorely when masquerading as Cedda) is waiting in Hoelbrak, looking for a large group of charr, a norn, and two humans.

She finds the group after a little bit, mostly (as she had guessed) because of the charr. But there are fewer than she'd expected - only six. Perhaps the other warband didn't come?

Vriré notices Tiffany and Fiona acting slightly nervous, even before they see her.

When Tiffany spots Vriré, she turns to Forgal. "It looks like the friend I mentioned is coming after all." she pauses for the briefest of moments, before continuing. "Vriré, this is Warmaster Forgal, my mentor and friend. Forgal, this is... Vriré."

The blatant exclusion of Vriré's rank of Lightbringer is not lost on any of the secret Whispers members. They are almost wholly in Vigil territory here.

"Vriré, this is my team, the Spar warband of the Ash Legion - before they joined the Vigil, that is." Tiffany continues, gesturing at each person as she mentions them, "Legionnaire Aelius Scrapspar, engineer and tactician of the group. Nipia Sparshield, the warrior. When in combat, she takes down her enemies ruthlessly and quickly. Celsus Sparmauler, the guardian, has her back at all times, and her front too, if she needs it. Forgal, I think you can explain Deorar's abilities better than I can."

Forgal nods. "Deorar Brightspar is the elementalist. She's generally the lure for enemies, if we are trying to draw them out. Her healing abilities serve the group well if Celsus' shield fails."

"Sarria Sparshadow is the thief and assassin," Tiffnay picks up again, gesturing at a charr with a hood. "She is best for taking on single targets, silently and effectively, and without anyone being the wiser. Augurna Sparstalker is the ranger of the group, but she is more of a scout than anything. She and Shadow, her companion, have heightened senses of hearing and sight, and can easily scout out enemy territory without being seen."

Vriré feels stupid. Of _course_ the only exception _ever_ to a charr being in two warbands at once is when a ranger jokes about being in a warband with her companion.

Then, the engineer - Aelius Scrapspar - speaks up. "Our tactics have not yet failed us, scorch it! Smokestacks, adding in several good fighters can only help."

"We're not going in weapons swinging," Forgal admonishes them. Vriré's eyebrows jump up. This from a Vigil Warmaster? That's a first. But she says nothing, and Forgal continues. "This is purely an information-gathering mission. Crusader Tiffany is calling the shots, and we will only attack if _she_ decides to. Clear?"

Tiffany smiles. "I might be calling the shots, Forgal, but I might need your Warmaster's authority to back up my orders."

"That's part of the learning, Crusader," Forgal replies, clapping Tiffany on the back. "Knowing how best to enforce your commands - although," he adds, "being able to be your own backup is a useful skill, as well."

"I understand, Warmaster," Tiffany replies. "Alright, team, listen up."

Her eyes light up and a cunning grin appears on her face as she outlines the plan. "We're heading north. The target is sandwiched between Cragstead, a norn steading just west of Butcher's Block, just outside the Shiverpeaks, and a Svanir encampment known as Dragonblest Hold."

"By my tail," Aelius says, "we know where Butcher's Block is, Crusader."

"Good," Tiffany acknowledges. "I'll explain the mission while we go - this is a long walk. Fiona?"

Fiona expells orbs of light from her hands, which bound through the team. Vriré feels energetic and alert instantly.

"Team, let's move!" Tiffany instructs. As the group leaves Hoelbrak, she explains, "The mission is to find a sylvari known as Scarlet Briar, who has a meeting with Vyacheslav, a leader of a sect of dredge. The reason we are bringing so many able fighters with us, is because this Scarlet engineered an alliance between the dredge and the Flame Legion, forming the Molten Alliance. We are entering an outpost that is under construction."

"The Flame Legion, huh?" the elementalist growls. "Those idiots mixing with the dredge... "

"That's the problem," Tiffany agrees. "We're here to ask Scarlet why. However, be on your guard. Charr not of the Flame Legion might spark something we don't want."

"'Spark' is a good word for that," Sarria grins. " _Flame_ Legion and all."

Tiffany cracks a smile, but her eyes are deadly. "This is dangerous territory, team. Not just the Flame Legion, or the dredge, but this Scarlet Briar, this person who formulated an alliance between the two - an alliance that she has at her beck and call for whatever task she might have of them."

This last scrap of information kills any humour left.

"The Flame Legion are a threat to the Black Citadel, as it is," Celsus, the guardian, points out.

"The dredge are continually - successfully - undermining the Priory's research of the dwarves," Fiona puts in.

Vriré realizes that all three of the Orders are represented in this group.

"Right," Aelius nods. "This Scarlet sylvari has a little army now."

"And who knows what devastation she could cause, if she had the mind," Tiffany nods. "She had access to both the dredge and Flame Legion - why ally them? There are two reasons - she is building an army, like you suggested, or she is building a weapon that incorporates both Flame magic and dredge technology. The weapon she aided the dredge to build was devastating enough - both because of it's stone-crushing capabilities and attraction to Icebrood. Combining that level of technology with Flame magic can only be a bad thing - especially for the Durmand Priory and the last aboveground dwarf."

"What's the plan, Crusader?" Nipia asks. "We know the danger, now we need a plan to combat it."

"Right," Tiffany nods. "Sarria, I want you, Augurna, and Shadow to scout out this Molten Alliance facility and report what is going on. You'll enter the underground facility just before we do. Deorar, I want you to speak to any dredge - or Flame Legion - around, and ask where Vyacheslav is. You're a good talker, they should tell you easy enough."

"Approaching cinder-brained Flame Legion is a blood-brained bad idea," Aelius speaks up. "She's a female. No offense, Deorar."

"None taken," Deorar replies promptly. "However, if the Flame Legion allied with the dredge, the dredge might have taken that same philosophy to heart. It might be better if Aelius - or, even better, somebody who's not charr at all - to take the lead."

"Point taken," Tiffany agrees. "I'll take point, then." Fiona elbows her sister and mouths a single word. Tiffany smiles, before continuing. "Once inside, and hopefully with some idea of where Vyacheslav is, we'll head in that direction. If not, we split up and keep asking for directions until we get them. If Sarria or Augurna find Vyacheslav, well, it should be easy to find our group. Actually... Fiona?"

"Crusader?" Fiona replies innocently. At Tiffany's sigh, she protests, "what? I'm part of your team, even though I'm the only person who's not Vigil besides Vriré, I should address you properly."

Tiffany rolls her eyes. "Fine. Can you display your sound enchantment?"

"We really need a name for that, don't we?" Fiona asks rhetorically. Then, her mouth begins moving soundlessly. Forgal replies soundlessly.

"Team, Fiona is making her words carry to Forgal, so he can hear her, while at the same time silencing it to everybody else. This effect can expand to include more people, however. Vriré, can you hear Fiona?"

Fiona's mouth is still moving soundlessly, but a moment later, she hears Fiona's words. " - but you can't hear me, can you, Tiffany?"

Vriré nods, aware that her words will be silenced.

"But," Tiffany continues, "this barrier is one-way. You can still hear people speaking outside of it. And, if Fiona so chooses, she can make it really one-way - she can speak to you and silence her words, but if you speak your words won't carry or be silenced. Unless she tells you, you are to assume that is the type of enchantment she is doing."

Fiona speaks again. "The whole team is inside the enchantment, Tiffany."

"By Smodur's good eye!" Aelius speaks up. "That's a great technique, especially from a two-ears like you. Does it work even out of earshot?"

"Never tried it," Fiona shrugs. "Who wants to run out of earshot?"

The feline standing near Augurna shoots off into the distance.

After a moment, Tiffany speaks. "Can Shadow hear us, Augurna?"

The charr nods affirmative, and the feline returns.

"Fiona can keep that active the whole time we're in - everyone can hear us, but only Sarria and Fiona can speak without being heard by others. If either team finds Vyacheslav, alert the other team. However, Sarria and Augurna will keep scouting out the facility. If the Flame Legion turn on us, we're in their territory, we'll need to know the lay of the land. It also means we'll have backup they don't know about."

"Good - " Fiona cuts off for a moment, before continuing. "Good idea, Tiffany."

Vriré wonders why she'd paused. Then she notices that Fiona's energy-granting orbs of light are still bouncing around. Vriré doesn't feel in the least bit tired, even though the group had been running the whole way from Hoelbrak.

* * *

A little after noon, the group arrives in the abandoned land between the Svanir encampment and Cragstead.

"Alright, team, spread out!" Tiffany orders. "Find that entrance!"

The Spar warband salute and split up.

After a while, Aelius reports, "coils and cogs, I've found it! Near the northern end of Cragstead."

"On my way," the Spar warband chorus, with Tiffany, Fiona, Forgal, and Vriré uttering a similar variation.

The group meets up near Aelius, who is standing near a hastily assembled tower that looks to be made of tin. It has a round door, which swings open on rusty hinges.

"Obviously, the flame-kissing Molten Alliance doesn't care too much about the scorching upkeep of their entrance," Aelius remarks.

Tiffany nods. "Sarria, Augurna, Shadow, you lead in. We'll be right behind you."

Through the door, a spiral of rickety stairs leads downwards into darkness. Vriré looks upwards, wondering at the height of the tower. It seems rigged to hold something, but those somethings aren't there yet. Vriré hazards a guess that those 'somethings' would consist of a surprise welcome to unexpected visitors.

"This place is still under construction," Tiffany reminds them all. She seems slightly jumpy.

The group nods. "Things that aren't finished yet are generally unstable," Aelius remarks. "Better walk softly."

* * *

After descending the stairs, Sarria and Augurna, along with Shadow, take off.

Vriré glances around. It is a rough cavern with an uneven floor. Several dredge - and a couple Flame Legion charr - are around, but Sarria stealths herself and her scouting companions.

"You all have some degree of the sound enchantment," Fiona informs them. "Your voice carries to everyone else, but for anyone not within the enchantment, your noise level impacts the sound barrier."

Tiffany nods. "Understood. Now, lets talk to some dredge." She takes point, approaches the nearest dredge, who looks at her warily. The group had attracted attention coming down the rickety stairs - most of the Molten Alliance in the room are looking at them.

"We've come to speak to your leader," Tiffany says, addressing the whole room. "Do you know where Vyacheslav is?"

"Vyacheslav will not be disturbed by meddling Vigil," one dredge snarls. "Get out of here."

Vriré snorts. "Since when has anyone left any place when ordered like that?"

"Since the Molten Alliance was formed," a charr growls at them. "What do you want to see Vyacheslav for?"

"Do you not know that Vyacheslav is meeting with someone today?" Tiffany demands.

Vriré deduces that Tiffany must be bluffing, hoping that the dredge and Flame Legion in the room don't know that he is meeting with a sylvari.

"It depends," another dredge drawls. "On if you can answer a simple question. What does a wheel do when imbued with energy?"

"It spins," Tiffany replies with biting sarcasm. "That's worse than simple. I'm sure a newborn sylvari could answer that question."

"And that's saying something," Vriré adds.

"Toldja it was simple," another dredge shrugs. "The real question is this: why is excess air required the burn a fuel completely?"

Several dredge snort.

Tiffany pauses.

Aelius steps in. "Excess air is required to ensure adequate mixing of fuel and air, avoid smoke, minimize slagging in coal burning, and to ensure maximum steam output."

"You've answered the dredge question, now it's the Flame Legion's turn," a charr informs them.

"You have my attention," Aelius replies.

"Where is Flame magic best compatible with steam machinery?"

"It hasn't been figured out yet, cinder-brain," Aelius responds brazenly.

"Incorrect," the charr snaps. "What are you, Dumb Legion?"

"Vigil," Forgal corrects, stepping forward.

"Even worse," the charr laughs at them. "Shadow warband, attack!"

' _What?!_ ' Vriré thinks in shock. ' _Shadow warband?_ ' "Stop!" Vriré commands, stepping forward. She pulls off the glove covering her right hand, and turns the back of her hand toward the charr. "Stop! I am Vriré." A scar slashes diagonally across the back of Vriré's hand, from the base of her smallest finger to the base of her thumb.

Shock shows clearly on the faces of the Shadow warband. They don't need their leader to tell them to halt.

"Why would you join the Flame Legion?" Vriré demands. "What would possess you to leave the Ash Legion for the _Flame_ Legion?"

"Koraw died," another charr says softly. "He was what held us together."

"So you joined the _Flame Legion_?" Vriré scorns, getting angry. "What happened to Camilla?"

The Shadow warband does not answer.

"You know all about the Flame Legion!" Vriré shouts. "You know what they did to the charr! How could you - what could possibly - you - I - " Vriré is mad. "I can't believe that you would do such a thing! Koraw died, and so you went and _joined his sworn enemy!_ How blind can you get to think doing such a thing is okay? I can't even _imagine_ the stupidity you must possess!"

"Vriré, grief does terrible things to people," Tiffany tries.

Vriré snorts. "They joined the Flame Legion. I'm sure you can't even _begin_ to understand what that means, even for a normal charr. And this was _Koraw's_ warband." she turns back to the stunned charr.

Tiffany opens her mouth to speak, but Aelius shakes his head at her.

" _Koraw's_ warband," Vriré snarls, her face contorted in cold fury. "You should never have set eyes on him. You're not worthy of his memory, you traitors. You betrayed the Ash Legion, defected from Koraw's lead, deserted his memory, turned traitor to every female charr, _including_ \- no, _especially_ \- the members of your own warband - I'm surprised Camilla didn't choose gladium over Flame Legion! - you're the worst sort of charr imaginable. Betrayers, defectors, deserters, traitors - I can't think of a worse insult, you tail-twisted, fire-eating cinder brains! Flame off and go worship your lava-drinking, gold-loving gold-diggers before I kick your tails so hard they slap you in the face, you sons of the sorcerer king! You really steam my ears! I can't believe you'd need a place to hide so badly you'd sink an island for it, you smoke-brained flame kissers! Leave before I nail your tails to the floor with your horns!"

All the charr - even the Spar warband - and Tiffany wince at Vriré's insults and cursing. Aelius whistles.

Forgal and Fiona glance at each other. They can understand some of the insults, but they are lost.

The Shadow warband beats a hasty retreat.

Vriré stuffs her glove back on her hand, determination hardening. ' _Proper Ash Legion soldiers, from what I heard of them from Koraw! Joined the Flame Legion! What idiots! Surely they knew of Koraw's dedication to the Order, and getting rid of the dragons? Joining the losing side of a war is utter foolishness, especially in the wake of an Elder Dragon rising?_ '

"Vriré - " Tiffany starts, confused.

"No. We are going to find out why this Scarlet allied the Flame Legion with the dredge. And then we'll hunt down the so-called Shadow warband." Vriré says, in a tone that says this is non-negotiable.

Tiffany sighs. "Let's go, then."

"Sarria, has your team found anything yet?" Fiona asks.

"No, we were wincing at Vriré's display of her knowledge of charr insults and cursing, actually," Sarria replies. "She must really have been mad at somebody. Who was it?"

"Flame Legion scum," Vriré snarls. "Traitors who used to be Ash Legion. They claim the title of the Shadow warband, but they don't deserve it. The only remaining Shadow is Koraw, and he's dead." ' _He's dead, and I have to avenge him. The dragons will fall - I'll kill the dragons or die trying. And I still have to speak to Tiffany and Fiona about the Destiny's Edge thing. Destiny's Edge are important to the downfall of the dragons._ '

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

I decided to cut it there, as the chapter was going to get long. Don't worry, the next chapter will have Scarlet in it! (If I can ever convince myself that I am capable of writing Scarlet in a capacity that fits her - craziness level, paranoia level, etc.


	4. Put Your Trust in Vigil Steel

REFORGING THE EDGE

* * *

Summary: The team pushes on into the Molten Facility. When they meet up with Sarria and Augurna, the team chase Scarlet away before Tiffany authoritatively squeezes information out of Vyacheslav. After a good deal of planning and waiting, Scarlet shows up again, and the group defeats and captures her with stunning ease. Vriré then goes back to Rata Sum and tells her friends, Cirra and Drekk, about mentoring Initiates.

* * *

Chapter four: Put Your Trust In Vigil Steel

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

Yep. So... Scarlet, huh?

And it's hard to keep Vriré in character when writing from her perspective, apparently. She thinks what she does is quite normal, and it is presented so from her PoV. It's when it's from other people's PoV that she is in-character. Like her first appearance in _Book Two: Soldiers, Scholars, and Spies_ , chapter twelve, _Icebrood Slayer (achievement)_ (which you might know better as chapter twenty-five of _Tyria's Real!?_ before I split it into two books) when she was in-character.

Anyway. I'll do my best to keep Vriré in-character.

_**Okay, here's the story now:** _

* * *

Sarria glances at Vriré, then at Augurna's feline companion. "There's another Shadow, though," she says. "Do first names count towards being in the warband?"

Sarria's quip is met with a flat stare from Vriré.

"They have insulted members of the Molten Alliance," says one dredge that seems to be in charge. "Attack!"

Vriré shakes off her murderous thoughts of the so-called Shadow warband and leaps in, axes whirling. Some dredge back up, hands in the surrender position.

Once the attacking dredge have been killed, Tiffany turns to the one or two that did not attack. "Where is Vyacheslav?" she asks in an authoritative tone.

"Further in," one of the dredge whimpers. "He's overseeing the tunneling mechanism drilling farther underground. There aren't any major branching passages."

"Farther in, no branching passages?" Fiona checks, relaying the information to Sarria and Augurna.

"Thank you for your information," Tiffany informs the dredge. "Team, move out."

Sarria comes in vocally a moment later. "Found Vyacheslav. He's talking to a sylvari with crazy prickly red pigtails," Sarria has a hard time stifling her laughter, and eventually it all comes out. "She is absolutely hilarious, oh, you've got to come see this..."

Tiffany glances at her team, trying not to smile. "Well, let's go."

* * *

Five minutes later, after traversing surprisingly empty tunnels, the two teams regroup. Fiona expands the sound enchantment to cover the whole team.

"Sarria, Augurna, report," Tiffany says.

"We came through this tunnel here to see them discussing something," Augurna reports. "Sarria went up closer to hear what they were saying, and they're contemplating filling this place with lava for the Flame Legion's purposes, while the dredge do their thing on platforms built above."

"She sounded crazy," Sarria replies, shaking her head. "I barely got away before I gave myself away laughing at her... red pigtails..." the thief doubles over laughing again with a glance in Scarlet's direction.

Tiffany glances that way too, and has a hard time stifling her own laugh.

Vriré snorts to herself at the absurdity of such a memorable appearance. ' _Arranging something like this Molten Alliance, she might be a little more discreet?_ '

"Let's approach them," Tiffany decides.

The Crusader approaches the sylvari and dredge chatting together, and clears her throat. "Scarlet Briar and Vyacheslav, I assume?"

"Oh, look, more people to join in our little alliance!" Scarlet says delightedly. "Have you come to help me?"

Tiffany looks creeped out. "No. We were simply curious. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, but no one who's not a friend knows where this facility is," Scarlet replies. Her voice takes on a sad tone, as if speaking to a child about to be punished. "I just might have to do something drastic," her voice sharpens, but retains her happy demeanour, giving her voice an almost playful tone; "like kill you. Or maybe experiment brutally on you. I have just the people in mind who would _love_ the chance to do something of the sort. I know because I almost experienced it." The whole time she is speaking, her voice flip-flops from playful and happy to serious and quietly angry.

Vriré is getting suspicious of this sylvari. She does not act like any other sylvari - even Nightmare Court - that she had ever seen or heard of. No sylvari would threaten to 'torture brutally' but have somebody else do it - normally sylvari wouldn't think of such a thing, and Nightmare Court would do it themselves.

"Is that a threat?" Aelius asks, pushing forward, rifle in hand. Tiffany makes no move to stop him.

"Oh!" Scarlet cries. "I'm _so_ frightened, put it away! Put the weapon away, we can talk nicely now, can't we?" she is obviously being sarcastic, and Aelius doesn't move. Forgal steps up beside him, and Sarria unstealths behind the sylvari. Vyacheslav had backed off. Celsus' shield activates. Scarlet grins. "Frightened now, are we?"

"I'm crying," Nipia says flatly. "I'm absolutely terrified."

Scarlet throws back her head and laughs. "Oh, we have a playful bunch here, haven't we?"

Tiffany seems to be the only one pushing forward through the sylvari's lunacy. "What are you doing here, Scarlet?"

Scarlet smiles at her. "Oh, I'd love to tell you, but it's a secret," she says, the last words taking on a deadly tone. "You'll have to stop asking, or I really might have to carry out my threat, and wouldn't that be sad?"

Vriré is really getting unnerved. She draws her swords with the ring of steel on steel.

"So it is a threat," Tiffany clarifies. "Forgal, what is Vigil normal in this situation?"

"Oh, you're from the Vigil, are you?" Scarlet hmms. "Well, this complicates things. I know I had some dredge testing that Sonic Vaporizer on you people. Is that why you're here?"

"Partially," Tiffany replies tightly. Vriré settles her grip on her weapons, ready to strike.

"Well, I can't stand having Vigil in my playhouse, I'm afraid you'll have to leave," Scarlet informs them. "Go on, you can't just stand there all day."

"I'm afraid you're right," Augurna replies. "Shadow can never stand still for long. She's flipping out just sitting here, see?"

Shadow zips through the group and nestles at Scarlet's feet. Tiffany looks perturbed. Scarlet seems surprised.

"Oh, it's a kitty!" she cries, picking up the stalker. "What a pretty kitty. Ooohh, it doesn't like me. Ouch! Stop that," she scolds as the feline starts clawing her face.

Augurna snorts. "She won't stop," she informs her. Augurna twirls a dagger in her hand. Shadow leaps out of Scarlet's arms and runs in tight circles around the sylvari.

"Returning to the question at hand," Forgal tells the rogue sylvari, "the Crusader asked me what the Vigil response is. I say it depends on whether she attacks us."

"Oh, _I_ could never attack you!" Scarlet declares. "Not when I have this army at my fingertips!" Scarlet laughs evilly."Molten Alliance, if you please?"

A squad of mixed dredge and Flame Legion - including the false Shadow warband - walk up behind Scarlet. Sarria shadowsteps out of the way quickly, staying stealthed.

"I believe it is time to make these unwelcome intruders leave," Scarlet informs her team. Her voice still is flip-flopping from serious to playful and back again. It's unnerving.

Vriré lunges forward, just a second before Scarlet's squad attacks, with Scarlet giving the orders. Beorn sits on her chest, silencing her.

The battle is slightly uneven - but these are Vigil soldiers. Tiffany seems to have knives strapped to her elbows, and is wielding her axes with deadly grace.

Aelius is firing his rifle from a little way back, Nipia is in the fray, using much the same techniques that Vriré is, and Sarria is shadowstepping and stabbing repeatedly. Shadow is underfoot, nipping the legs of the enemy and tripping them up. Fiona's orbs of energy rejuvenate her allies while tiring out the enemies. Deorar calls a healing rain on her allies, before standing back and pretending to be injured. Several Flame Legion break off from the main squad and charge her, only to be caught in an electric field. Sarria shadowsteps over and finishes them - Vriré notes that her blades are poisoned.

Vriré focuses especially on Koraw's old warband, hissing 'betrayer' at each and every one of the five members of the 'Shadow warband' as she delivers the killing blow. ' _Good riddance to them. Betraying Koraw's memory like that is unforgivable. I'll have to find the other four and end them._ '

Rather quickly - the enemy isn't using tactics, especially with Beorn sitting on Scarlet, making it difficult for her to breath (much less give orders) - the enemy is defeated.

Tiffany sinks to one knee by Scarlet's head. "Why?" she asks. Her tone is deadly, and her eyes are glinting with something akin to anger. Scarlet grins madly at her.

Suddenly, Beorn jumps onto Tiffany's back - she had just braced her hands against the floor - launching himself from there at Vyacheslav, who was aiming a rifle at Tiffany's head. Beorn knocks the schemer head over heels, his rifle flying away.

Tiffany spins around and grabs the dredge in a choke-hold, on arm in a V around his neck, other hand holding a knife to his throat. She hisses something in his ear.

But Scarlet is up and aiming her own rifle at Tiffany's head. Tiffany's choke-hold leaves her arms wrapped tightly around Vyacheslav's neck, over his shoulders. Tiffany is incapable of ducking properly, and Beorn isn't close enough to do anything about Scarlet.

The companions glance at each other, eyes widened in horror. Vriré realizes it is a repeat of DeLana, and runs forward. But she knows it is futile - she won't get there in time.

They are saved by Aelius, who fires his own rifle, punching a hole through Scarlet's and rendering it useless, flipping it out of her hands.

Scarlet laughs. "You may have defeated me this time, but I'm not through with you yet. I do keep a list of people like you, you know. Who need sharp reminders about how insignificant they are. You're on it somewhere, now. See you soon!"

Then, she vanishes, her cackling laughter reverberating around the room.

The team regroups, careful of the fallen Molten Alliance bodies. They scan the room.

"Scarlet shadowstepped," Fiona informs the group. "I saw her using the Aspect of Deception."

"Aspect of...?" Tiffany repeats, eyes narrowing but slightly confused.

"The mesmer side of magic," Fiona explains. "Thieves use it to some extent, in the stealthing and shadowstepping."

"But she seemed like an engineer, to me," Tiffany mumbles, glancing at Fiona out of the corner of her eye and raising her eyebrows ever so slightly.

"She seemed to have a lot of tricks up her sleeve," Aelius comments. "I wouldn't be surprised if she is a thief who learned engineering, or an engineer who can touch the magic."

Tiffany sighs and glances at Fiona, who shakes her head.

Tiffany turns to Vyacheslav, still shaking violently where Tiffany had left him. "Tell us everything - and I mean _everything_ \- about Scarlet," she informs him. "Don't bother repeating information in your journal - I've already read it."

Vyacheslav cries out in terror. "I don't know much - but she'll be back, she didn't get my full report. And she'll be mad."

"Give us the report," Tiffany says authoritatively. Vriré, who still has her weapons out, backs up the Crusader.

Vyacheslav starts babbling about everything the dredge side of the Molten Alliance has accomplished, and then goes on to everything he knows about it.

Vriré takes note of the other Molten Facilities. There are several in Ascalon and a couple others in this vicinity of the Shiverpeaks. Several have been completed, and Scarlet checks in on them in a rotation, one each week. Next week is the one just east of Cragstead, near Butcher's Block in the Haulraunting Plains.

There is one near Frusenfell Creek, to the south, and Halvaunt Snowfield, near Crossroads Haven. Also Arcovian Foothills, south of Halrunting Plains, and Gram Hills, northeast of there. Scarlet alternates between the Shiverpeaks and Ascalon every week. First it's near Frusenfell Creek, then Arcovian Foothills, followed by Haulvaunt Snowfield and Gram Hills, before Solitude Vale comes followed by Halrunting Plains.

Scarlet hasn't told him what his orders are for this facility beyond how to construct it, but she does have other facilities working on things.

"What do we do with him, Forgal?" Tiffany sighs.

"I say keep him captive - at least for now," Fiona volunteers. "I can have an illusion of him running around here 'till Scarlet comes. Now that we know what Vyacheslav was going to report, we can keep up the illusion as long as we please, giving us time to ambush her."

"That Scarlet does need to be taken down," Forgal agrees. "Alive and not dead, if possible. She seems dangerous, and we need to question her."

Tiffany agrees with that course of action. "Fiona, do your thing. Probably best to make illusions of us leaving so Scarlet thinks we're gone and comes back in reasonable time."

Fiona nods. She veils the team from sight while sending illusions of them out. When they have all 'left,' and, Vriré supposes, gone a ways farther out to dupe Scarlet if she were watching from the outside, Fiona has an illusion of Vyacheslav come out of a corner, muttering to himself.

* * *

By this time it is midafternoon, but Scarlet doesn't show until a long while after.

Scarlet shows up in front of the dredge leader, making the illusion jump. "Continue your report," she orders.

The illusionary Vyacheslav spills everything the real Vyacheslav had told the team earlier - just more slowly. While this is going on, the team is coordinating each others' locations, leaning heavily on Fiona's sound enchantment not to be heard by Scarlet.

By the time Vyacheslav is nearly done (and their time running out) everyone is in position. Vriré, Forgal, Nipia, and Celsus are waiting to strike, veiled by Fiona. Augurna is not veiled, but knows how to avoid attracting attention. Sarria is stealthed, and waiting for the word. Aelius, Tiffany, and Fiona are hidden in nooks around the unfinished room, their long-ranged weapons (Aelius' rifle, Tiffany's bow, and Fiona's mesmer tricks) allowing them to stay back from the fray.

Deorar is veiled, closer to the entrance than the two leaders of the Molten Alliance, ready to play bait.

The plan is to incapacitate her. Fiona, consciously reading the Flows of the Aspect of Deception being used, will know when Scarlet is planning to use it herself, and be able to stop her - or give the command for another to stop her.

Shadow is illusioned to look different, and nestles at Scarlet's feet like she had before. This time, when Scarlet picks her up absentmindedly, Shadow does not hiss and scratch, but purrs deceptively.

"Scarlet found a new weapon of some sort," Augurna reports. "Shadow's found something dangerous on her."

"Can Shadow destroy it?" Tiffany asks.

"Not without revealing herself."

"Quickly, you two, Vyacheslav's almost done." Fiona says urgently.

Tiffany is silent for a moment. Vriré can't see her, due to the illusions, but she seems to be thinking. "Alright, bait plan. Deorar?"

"Yes, Crusader." Deorar replies. "I'm in position."

"Sure. Fiona, you know your part."

"On it, Co - Crusader." Fiona's voice had paused briefly in the middle. Vriré frowns.

Deorar is unveiled, and Scarlet turns in her direction. "Oh!" she exclaims. "You're back! And without your friends, too. This will be fun, don't you think?"

"Only if you can catch me," Deorar replies, taking a step back. She is good at facades - she is pretending to put on a false show of bravery, and letting fear show through as if inadvertently. (Vriré knows everything shown on the elementalist's face is false.) Shadow purrs in Scarlet's ear, showing her approval of the idea.

Scarlet cackles. "It might be funner to disable you first, though, don't you think?" she asks. "To prevent you from running away?"

"But I'm frightened," Deorar replies with the touch of a whimper to her voice. "You escaped last time, even with all my friends here. I only remained behind to see what you would do next. I was curious, you see. I didn't know you'd see me."

Scarlet cackles, and Deorar takes another step back, fear evident in her face. Scarlet takes a step closer to her. Deorar is shaking now. Shadow settles herself on Scarlet's shoulders, purring in her ear.

Vriré, waiting for Scarlet to trip the electric field and be vulnerable to attack, is hovering behind the sylvari, and sees that Scarlet is three steps away from Sarria's tripwire. It's a thin, almost invisible thread at ankle height. Well, ankle height for sylvari. It comes up farther on Vriré.

A slight gust of wind brushes past Vriré. Scarlet spins around on feeling the light draft. No one is there. Except for four veiled melee fighters, one stealthed assassin, and a ranger that knows how to blend in. Of course, Scarlet doesn't see any of them. She turns back to Deorar with a suspicious look in her eye, absentmindedly petting Shadow.

Vriré's adrenaline is rushing, and she is carefully watching Sarria's tripwire. ' _Just take a few steps forward!_ '

"What did you do, little one?" she croons to the female charr, stepping forward. Two steps away. Vriré knows the rest of the team is watching the wire, too. Deorar's ears twitch and she takes another step back.

"N-nothing, miss sylvari," Deorar stammers fearfully. Vriré knows better. There is no place for wind to have come from in the back of the cavern.

"Nothing... _really_?" Scarlet asks sharply. "You're an elementalist. I can tell. Why would you blow wind at me?"

"I'm a new elementalist," Deorar whimpers. "It gets out of my control sometimes. That Aspect of magic has it's own personality, you know."

Scarlet nods. "I see. Come here."

Deorar approaches slowly, stopping three or four paces from the sylvari. She is standing inside her own invisible electric field. If Scarlet trips the wire now, she'll fall face first into said electric field, but Deorar will be stunned as well. Vriré realizes she must have great faith in her team not to let her down.

"Where is everyone?" she asks. "On my way out earlier, most of my faithful workers at the entrance were dead."

"M-my team killed them on our way in, miss sylvari," Deorar whimpers. "They attacked us."

"Oh, you didn't have to kill them, dear!" Scarlet croons, absentmindedly petting Shadow, still nestled in her arms. "You could have surrendered. They would have let you alone until I came."

"I was scared," Deorar whispers. "They might not have stopped. I'm used to defending myself. Reflexes."

Scarlet's face curves into a smile. "Then we share a kindred spirit."

Deorar looks uncertain, but nods hesitantly. Scarlet strides forward, tripping the wire. She doesn't have much of the momentum that is normally counted on for the tripwire, but this tripwire is firm - it is not a loose stone to turn your foot on.

Scarlet's foot gets entangled in the wire, and she twists around and hops backward. Shadow hisses and jumps free of the sylvari, just as a spark of electric electricity jumps around Deorar's hands and the electric field springs up around the two, electrocuting Scarlet and stunning Deorar heavily. Shadow's fur stands on end - she'd been caught in the electric field - as she falls to the floor.

Augurna jumps - Shadow's electrocution must have bounced across the empathic bond, Vriré supposes - but is fine.

Vriré, Forgal, Nipia, and Celsus instantly engage Scarlet, who is twitching from the effects of the shock. One of Tiffany's arrows and a bullet from Aelius' rifle dislocated each of her shoulders, leaving Scarlet in pain and unable to draw a weapon. Fiona drops all the veilings.

Now Scarlet can see her attackers. Her hands twitch towards her rifle, but as her shoulders are dislocated, this causes her great pain.

By this time Scarlet is overwhelmed by the others - Deorar is still stunned, and Tiffany's arrows and Aelius' rifle had been ready to take on any backup Scarlet brought.

"AD!" Fiona shouts. This is the signal that Scarlet is gathering magic to shadowstep. Nipia thumps Scarlet soundly on the head, stunning her, and Fiona imbues Celsus' hastily-erected shield with Deception magic, blocking any of Scarlet's attempts to escape.

Scarlet recovers marvelously quickly, for being thumped on the head by an able warrior, and tries to shadowstep again. She only reaches the other side of Celsus' shield. Fiona strengthens the Deception magic around the shield.

Scarlet shadowsteps around Celsus shield, trying to escape. It doesn't work.

"Celsus, make the shield smaller," Fiona instructs. "Let's trap her." Fiona speaks through the sound enchantment, meaning Scarlet doesn't know what's going on. Her enemies are coordinating excellently, and Scarlet doesn't know their plans.

' _She is a truly excellent Initiate. I'm glad they decided to join the Order._ ' Vriré thinks as she steps outside of Celsus' shield.

Before Scarlet can attack, the group backs out of Celsus' shrinking shield. It is shrinking slowly, so Fiona can keep the Deception magic - really a mix of all the flows, using Celsus shield as a visual base (and a _real_ visual base works even better than an illusion of a visual base!) These plans had all been discussed while waiting for Scarlet, and Vriré couldn't be happier.

It takes a minute, but soon Scarlet is well and fully trapped. Her shoulders are dislocated and she can't shadowstep, and her enemies have her surrounded.

"Bring her to the Vigil Keep, eh Forgal?" Tiffany asks, her and Aelius coming out of the nooks they'd been hiding in. Fiona is already out. Tiffany's eyes are darting all over the cavern warily. She needn't have bothered - Vriré had already scanned the cave many times.

"Let's knock her out first," Forgal replies. "Is Crusader Deorar awake yet?"

"Kinda..." Deorar mumbles. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. You want Scarlet knocked out?"

Forgal nods. Deorar grins. The ground at Scarlet's feet heaves, and large chunks of packed earth rise out of the ground, knocking Scarlet on the head. Scarlet glares at the charr helplessly through the hail of earth. "You've all jumped straight to the top of my list of people who need reminders."

Tiffany is frowning at the trapped sylvari in consternation.

Deorar frowns. After a moment, a fist-sized rock rockets out of the ground at Scarlet's feet, stunning her. She recovers quickly, though.

"I'll need help, guys," Deorar frowns.

Tiffany glances at Fiona and sighs. Fiona raises a quizzical eyebrow, and Tiffany shakes her head.

Nipia's blade lands with a muffled thump on a protesting Scarlet's head at the same time as another of Deorar's rocks smashes into her forehead. The sylvari drops like a rock. Tiffany seems more wary than usual.

Deorar frowns. "The Domain of Nature isn't happy about taking down a sylvari. But it has a secret, too, about her. It won't tell me."

Vriré notes Tiffany's eyes widen as she glances swiftly at Fiona.

"Alternatively," Fiona says, "the Aspect of Deception loved blocking Scarlet's sure-fire plan of shadowstepping. And the magic Scarlet was touching stopped helping her after a bit, because it was disappointed and didn't want to keep being so predictable. But what's a magical Domain?"

"Nature is the most expansive branch of magic," Deorar explains. "There is no Aspect of Nature - it is the Aspect of Earth, or the Aspect of Air. Some of the really advanced ones are the Aspect of Sun, the Aspect of Wind, and the Aspect of Lightning, to name a few. Lightning is really complex, as far as I know. But the Aspects of Earth, Fire, and Air - which generally has a touch of lightning by nature - are very simple Aspects. Where the Aspect of Deception is large and complex, the four Elemental Aspects are really simple, and they are all connected, meaning people with an affinity for one of the Elemental Aspects generally has the other three as well, if in varying degrees of proficiency. If you've noticed, I don't use the Aspect of Fire much at all - and that's psychological, because I'm a charr and the terrible things the Flame Legion do with the Aspect of Fire have been drilled into me from the fahrar."

"Interesting," Fiona mumbles, deep in thought.

"Well, we know how to block shadowstepping," Sarria shrugs. "I'm honestly terrified about the implications of being able to block shadowstepping in this manner."

Tiffany's eyebrows jump up briefly. "Well, let's bring her to the Keep. Vriré, want to come with?" The Crusader darts a nervous glance at Forgal, but he doesn't notice.

Vriré shrugs, pretending nonchalance. "Sure."

* * *

At the Vigil Keep, Forgal directs Tiffany to the Vigil holding cells.

Vriré keeps a wary eye out all around her. A map of the Vigil Keep is already in the Order's archives, of course, but Vriré always likes being able to match memory to map. She is also keeping the typical Whispers eye out for danger and generally just observing.

When Tiffany locks the still-unconscious Scarlet Briar in the cell, the Crusader glances at Fiona in a way that Vriré can tell is meaningful to the both of them, and after a moment Fiona nods back.

"Alright, team," Tiffany addresses the squad. "Mission accomplished!"

"The Crusader will update the Vigil's mission archive, and it will automatically update your status to alert anyone looking for a squad for a mission that you are available." Forgal informs them. "Other than that, you're off-duty."

Tiffany nods enthusiastically. "Mission accomplished! Meet up back here on Sunday for a follow-up, alright?"

"Yes, Crusader!" the warband choruses, even Forgal thumping his chest in salute.

Vriré nods. Tiffany seems excited and keeps glancing at Fiona.

The rest of the squad disappears with a puff of blue, and Forgal heads to another part of the Keep, but Vriré remains. Fiona regenerates the sound enchantment (which she had dismissed upon Scarlet's capture) for just the three of them.

Tiffany and Fiona seem unsure of what to say.

"Initiates, you gave a wonderful showing today," Vriré informs them. "Your tactics were pure Whispers."

Tiffany cracks a grin. "Tactics, Lightbringer. Tactics are a very Vigil thing. Ambushes are nothing new. Contrary to common expectation in the other Orders, the Vigil do not simply rush in blindly."

"Be that as it may be," Vriré replies, "I actually wanted to speak to you about something else. During the initiation process, it was noted that you were friends with Logan Thackeray and the sylvari Firstborn Caithe."

Tiffany twitches, as if in annoyance. Fiona sighs. Vriré disregards it, plowing on. "Yesterday you updated your contact list, and I discovered that Zojja and Eir Stegalkin had been added. Why?"

"We got to know them," Tiffany replies promptly. "I bumped into Eir in Hoelbrak, and she recognized us from the meeting in Lion's Arch. We were brought into closer contact with Zojja through Logan, or rather the celebration of the deténte with the charr, held at Caudecus Beetlestone's manor. Fiona got to know her a bit then, and was later invited to Beorn's supposed memorial where I got to know her better. I bumped into her in Rata Sum a while after that, as well."

"Destiny's Edge could be a great asset against the dragons," Vriré says slowly. "Do what you can to nudge them together again." It is an order, and the phrasing of it (do it) leaves no ambiguity, particularly within the Order.

Fiona nods contemplatively. "If we have files within the Order's database, I'm sure everyone else does, too. And somebody has to have access to update those files when necessary."

"Lightbringers and, on a case-by-case basis, Agents, are granted that privilege," Vriré informs them. "Knowing all but one of Destiny's Edge would almost automatically qualify you for access to their files, almost as soon as you become Agents. Work hard, Initiates. Impress me. We'll see how soon you earn that promotion."

Outwardly cool and dismissive of Tiffany and Fiona's close position with Destiny's Edge, inwardly, Vriré's Whispers mentality is shouting at her to organize another mission for them, so they can prove their worth. It is hardly a good idea to go promoting Initiates after their first mission, after all - if Whispers people can disguise their true selves successfully for any length of time (Vriré had done it herself, with Cedda, not even requiring any mesmeric glamours), the certainly others can, as well, and it is always best to be cautious.

"They are already getting closer together - kind of," Tiffany informs her. "Logan, Caithe, and Zojja were at Beorn's 'memorial' and were chatting amiably by the end of it."

Vriré nods at them, before disappearing with a puff of blue.

* * *

She returns to the Chantry of Secrets and updates Scarlet's Whispers file. She then searches for each of the people in the squad and creates/updates their file.

She sports a vicious grin as she adds the qualifier '(deceased)' to each member of the Shadow warband that she had faced. She hadn't known their names, but files have images included whenever possible, and Koraw had made sure all the Shadow warband had those. Now Vriré knows which ones are still alive, and vows to hunt them down, even the females. The females' transgression is actually greater - they accepted the Flame Legion even with the demeaning positions that Legion would put them in.

She also updates the files for the three members of Destiny's Edge that were at Beorn's memorial, before returning home to Rata Sum.

* * *

She sets up an impromptu get-together with Cirra and Drekk, her closest friends (not counting Koraw).

"So Vriré," Drekk jokes, "what's new in the Order that isn't classified?"

Vriré barks a laugh. "The amount of classified information you two know would get me kicked out of the Order, whatever my rank and reputation."

"I'm scared, Vriré!" Cirra cries dramatically. "I'm terrified! The Order will come kill me in my sleep for the secrets I know! Oh, my friend, what have you done to me?"

Vriré laughs from her laid-back position on the cushioned chair. "I'll save you, Cirra," she comforts. "I've got many connections, even outside the Order. I'm sure they'll protest on your behalf if I want them to."

"Not if they find you're no longer a member," Drekk points out, continuing the joke.

"Ah," Vriré says in mock seriousness. "That's why I pretended to have lost my aura and asked for a new one. I didn't really lose it, it's secreted away somewhere. If I'm kicked out and my aura taken, I've got the old one. And they update on their own, too."

"I'm saved!" Cirra sighs. "I will no longer fear my life from an assassin that Whispers in my ear."

Vriré snorts at the joke. "But to answer your original question, yes, I have news."

"Did you get another assignment?" Drekk queries.

"I took on students," Vriré reveals. "Two humans - Cirra, I told you about them, remember?"

"Oh, the mesmer and ranger?" Cirra catches on. "Wasn't that the same conversation where I said it was more likely Trappu would have progeny than that happening?"

"Well..." Vriré says guiltily. "Maybe Trappu had progeny?" she offers weakly.

Both Cirra and Drekk burst out laughing, and after a moment, Vriré laughs with them.

After a moment, after the three friends had calmed down, Vriré continues, "but I did decide to mentor them. Tiffany and Fiona Tassof, and Tiffany's companion is a bear named Beorn."

Cirra nods. "They interested you somehow, didn't they?"

"Beorn died," Vriré says quietly. "And Tiffany bottled it up. And she'd had practice, too. I couldn't gather what the practice was - they have a secret language that they used - but she had."

Cirra and Drekk understand. Vriré is very empathetic. Or, she had been, until Koraw died. Then she'd withdrawn into herself and hid from the world, presenting a stony exterior and stern countenance. Only to her closest friends does she cease being 'Lightbringer Vriré, of the Order of Whispers' and become 'Vriré, sympathetic comforter.'

Drekk changes the topic to something lighter. "You took on two apprentices," he says, shaking his head in awe. "Maybe Trappu _did_ have progeny."

Vriré laughs. "Is this going to become a running joke?"

"Most probably," Cirra informs her. It had been so long since Trappu and Dloxxox's deaths - they'd died in 1313 - that it no longer stings.

The lifelong trio settle into a comfortable silence, each remembering their childhood. "Remember that spy device I rigged around the time I was sent off to Blipp?"

Cirra and Drekk nod, amused smiles on their faces.

"That look they had when we broke strings with our parents and told them we _had_ been seeing each other this whole time - and all those untraceable bits of mischief was us - was hilarious," Drekk declares. "I almost want to apologize and then do it all over again."

Cirra and Vriré both laugh.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

I'm finding it hard to keep chapters at my usual length, somehow. I suppose 7k words per chapter is the higher end of my chapter range, but I do try to keep it above 4k.

I hope you like the character-building in this chapter!


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